I love movies about everyday things.  The films that I enjoy most are not about heroic people and epic events, they are, rather, the ones that tell seemingly unimportant stories about regular people that inspire me, and subtlety change the way that I view the world.  Director John Carney’s “Once” is undoubtedly one of these films. 

“Once” is a modern-day Irish singer-songwriter musical.  In the film, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova play two main characters, known only as “Guy” and “Girl” in the credits.  Guy is a street musician by night, and a vacuum cleaner repairman by day, who falls in love with a piano-playing girl with a vacuum cleaner that needs repair.  Guy and Girl begin to play music together, telling the story of their growing relationship through song. 

This seemingly low-budget film with simple lighting and natural dialogue tells a beautiful love story in a creative way.  The music in this film is charming, and works well within the context of the story.  It never seems oddly interjected, as I feel happens in some musical films.  The characters are deep, lovable, and relatable.  They have a natural chemistry with one another, and the audience is able to feel that romantic connection. 

“Once is the Irish “Lost in Translation” with a musical twist.  It is a sweet little film that captures a wonderfully realistic love between an everyman and an everywoman. 

/Film Rating: 9.5 out of 10